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Cochineal: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŸฅ
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cochineal

 

[ หˆkษ’tสƒษชnษชl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

food coloring

Cochineal is a red dye derived from the cochineal insect, primarily used in food products, cosmetics, and textiles. The dye is produced by crushing the dried bodies of the female cochineal beetle, which are native to Central and South America. It is known for its vibrant color and is often labeled as carmine or E120 in ingredient lists. Cochineal is widely valued for being a natural colorant, although it can cause allergic reactions in some people.

Synonyms

E120, carmine

Examples of usage

  • She checked the ingredients for cochineal before buying the yogurt.
  • Many companies now use cochineal as a natural food coloring.
  • Cochineal gives the red hue to many popular candies.

Translations

Translations of the word "cochineal" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น cochonilha

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค•เฅ‹เคšเคฟเคจเฅ€เคฒ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Cochenille

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ cochineal

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะบะพั‡ะธะฝั–ะปัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ koszenila

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ณใƒใƒ‹ใƒผใƒซ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท cochenille

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ cochinilla

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท koลŸinil

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ฝ”์น˜๋‹ˆ์•Œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู‚ุดุฑ ุงู„ุฎู†ูุณุงุก

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ dล™evokaz

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ cochinila

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่ƒญ่„‚่™ซ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ koฤinila

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ kรณkinell

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะบะพั‡ะธะฝะตะปัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ™แƒแƒฌแƒ˜แƒœแƒ˜แƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ koรงinil

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ cochinilla

Etymology

The word 'cochineal' comes from the Spanish term 'cochinilla', which refers to the small scale insects collected primarily in Mexico and South America. These insects have been harvested for centuries, dating back to the Aztec empire, where they were used to produce a vibrant red dye for textiles and art. The use of cochineal as a dye spread to Europe during the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, where it became highly sought after for its brilliant color and fastness. The English term 'cochineal' was adopted in the late 16th century, derived from the Spanish and ultimately tracing its roots back to the Latin word 'coccinus', meaning scarlet. Today, cochineal is still used in various industries, although synthetic dyes have largely supplanted it due to cost concerns and ethical considerations regarding the use of insects.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,802, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.